Another Teacher Killed in Colombia

News from Colombia |
on: Friday, 4 February 2011

On the 30th of January Humberto de Jesus Espinoza Diaz left his home accompanied by his brother, on their way to visit Humberto's 11 year-old son. As they travelled on the road towards the town of Pereira they were stopped by armed men who shot and killed him.

Humberto was a leading teacher in the Mistrato Agricultural Institute, where he had worked since 1994. In 2006 he had received threats, but he was not judged to be at serious risk, and therefore he continued to work in the area.

He is the second teacher to have been killed so far in 2011, showing that the repression of teacher trade unionists has not abated in Colombia. Last year more than 25 teachers from across the country were murdered.